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As soon as the Empress Dowager left, Jingxi walked over and mockingly said, "Empress, don't blame Servant for being too forceful; after all, this is what the Empress Dowager instructed." After saying this, her expression changed drastically, a smile lingering at the corner of her mouth as she called to the several palace maids behind her, "Why aren't you coming over yet?"
Mur immediately crouched in front of Mu Junqi, bravely blocking her and shouting towards the outside of the hall, "Your Majesty, can you really bear to let the Empress be punished?"
Just when everyone thought she wouldn't return, Mo Xiao Li walked back in with Li Fusheng's support. Everyone was taken aback, especially Jingxi, who had already picked up the whip in her hand. She helplessly looked up at the Empress Dowager, who merely frowned and stood beside the Emperor.
Mo Xiao Li endured her discomfort and sat down in front of Mu Junqi. It was only then that Mu Junqi noticed beads of sweat had formed on Mo Xiao Li's forehead; she seemed to be in great distress. For a moment, she didn't know what to think and suddenly felt a strong desire to know who was trying to frame her.
However, Mo Xiao Li, sitting in the main seat, remained silent, leaving everyone unsure of what to do. Jingxi looked at the Empress Dowager, but Consort Qian couldn't hold back any longer and angrily said, "Your Majesty, you were poisoned here by the Empress; no matter how you look at it, it has everything to do with her."
Mo Xiao Li turned to Mu Junqi with a frown and asked, "I will ask you one last time: did you participate in this matter?"
"Does it even matter? Since everyone believes it's Consort's fault now, then Consort has nothing more to say."
After this was said, Mur anxiously urged, "Your Highness, please reveal the truth quickly; otherwise, this crime will be established."
Yet Mu Junqi still remained silent. Mo Xiao Li felt helpless as Consort Qian immediately spoke up again, "Why not hurry up and carry out the punishment? It's already late at night; the Empress Dowager needs to rest."
Once Consort Qian finished speaking, Jingxi raised the soft whip and struck Mu Junqi's back. The sharp pain instantly coursed through her body. She tightly closed her eyes, not wanting others to see her weakness; all she could hear was Mur crying beside her.
She desperately recalled everything about Xia Ziqian, hoping it would lessen her pain a bit. Finally, the beating stopped. Mur suddenly threw herself in front of Mu Junqi and looked at her pale face. Tears streamed down again as she sobbed Mu Junqi's name. However, Mu Junqi smiled and said, "Silly girl, why are you crying? I'm fine."
But anyone could hear the tremor in her voice, making Mur's heart ache even more. In the end, Mu Junqi could no longer resist her body's instincts and fainted with a smile on her face.
In the moment Mur saw Mu Junqi collapse, he disregarded all etiquette and shouted at Zhang Deli, "Hurry up and help the Empress to the bed!"
However, as soon as he spoke, Zhang Deli remained unmoved, having never had a good impression of the Empress. Now that it was the Empress Dowager who ordered punishment, a mere Chief Eunuch of Jingxian Palace like him had no courage to oppose the Empress Dowager.
Mo Xiao Li wanted to rush to Mu Junqi's side when she saw her fall, but he restrained himself and clenched his fists tightly. "Take the Empress back to her chamber and summon the imperial physician."
"But..." Zhang Deli immediately began to speak, only to be interrupted by Mo Xiao Li, "There are no buts! If you say another word, I will make sure you die a terrible death!"
In truth, Mo Xiao Li could tell that this incident was not caused by Mu Junqi, but with insufficient evidence, he could only watch helplessly as she was punished. He felt some resentment; if he could have spoken up just once or twice, perhaps she wouldn't have faced such punishment. It was the first time he had seen the Empress Dowager punish a concubine in all these years.
As soon as the imperial physician received Zhang Deli's message, he rushed over. Due to his weakened state, Mo Xiao Li ultimately succumbed to the Empress Dowager's persuasion and returned to Tianming Palace. Thus, the once lively Jingxian Palace fell silent, with only the sound of Mur's quiet sobbing echoing in the air.
Because Mu Junqi's injuries were somewhat concealed, after a pulse diagnosis, Mur and Ziyue applied medicine to her injured back. However, she couldn't help but wince in pain when the medicine touched her wounds, gripping the brocade quilt tightly with her small hands, sweat covering her face.
"Brother Qian, Mu Junqi hurts so much," she murmured in a dreamlike state while lying on the bed. Fortunately, there were no other people around; otherwise, it would have been disastrous. Outside the room, Xia Ziqian felt heartbroken. Having only entered the palace for just over a month, she had already suffered so many injuries. Hearing those words earlier left him unsure how to face Mu Junqi.
Mu Junqi never woke up. Every time Mur bathed her carefully, he worried about touching her wounds. Days passed... five days had gone by without any sign of her waking up. Mur spent every day in tears, and during this time, Mo Xiao Li had not appeared even once.
Only Xia Ziqian and people from the imperial medical office came and went. The Emperor had already recovered a few days ago, and now everyone in the palace was busy preparing for the New Year. Yet, Jingxian Palace felt like a forgotten place—cold and desolate without warmth.
Just when everyone thought that Mu Junqi had fallen out of favor for good, Mo Xiao Li appeared in Jingxian Palace. Upon seeing him, Mur couldn't help but glare at him angrily. However, Mo Xiao Li remained unfazed; after all, he understood that she was fiercely protective of her master.
As soon as he stepped into the chamber, he saw Xia Ziqian sitting on a nearby stool and instantly became furious. But Xia Ziqian, with an unchanged expression, knelt on the ground with his head bowed and softly said, "Long live Your Majesty."
"I am not auspicious at all. How could you appear here? Did I not say before that you should never show yourself in front of the Empress again? Why do you repeatedly defy me!"
Xia Ziqian smiled lightly, maintaining a refined and calm demeanor even when facing Mo Xiao Li. "If Your Majesty takes good care of the Empress, then I would not appear here."
"What do you mean by that?"
Xia Ziqian bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, please do not be angry. I mean no offense. Since you have decided to let go, I just want to see her happy. However, in just over a month since entering the palace, how many times has she been hurt? How many times has she nearly lost her life? So if you truly love her, please treat her better."
Mo Xiao Li was momentarily at a loss for words. It was he who had recklessly brought her back, and with Xia Ziqian's words, memories flooded back. He thought of how he had yet to deal with those who had poisoned her and recalled the pain she had endured during those times, feeling a deep ache in his heart.
Finally, he looked up at Xia Ziqian and said in a low voice, "I know what to do, but I hope you remember your promise from back then!" After saying this, he no longer looked at him and walked over to sit down in front of Mu Junqi.
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